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Tips by Brad Gray
Tips and insights for Royal Randwick. There are winners to be found for nine races!
The track is expected to be on the better side of Heavy come race time on Saturday.
| Race 1 - 11:25AM MCGRATH ESTATE AGENTS PLATE (1200 METRES) |
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This is a typically deep two-year-old race to open the card at Randwick but it might pay to trust your eyes with Music Addition. This son of Your Song was sent around at bolter’s odds ($61) on his Gosford debut but he never looked like losing after leading up and shooting for home. Unfortunately the odds won’t be quite as luxurious this time around but with the hype around a few of his rivals, he still could creep out to near double figure odds come jump. Expect him to be in the first three with Lipizzan and Florid.
Danger: Last Starfighter really savaged the line last start after being slowly away. It was the run of a coming winner but he just needs to iron out his early manners. Godolphin have a big opinion of first starter Evict and it’s telling that Brenton Avdulla rides him over the two raced stablemates.
How to play it: Music Addition WIN ($7 TAB Fixed Odds)
Music Addition was dominant on debut at Gosford
| Race 2 - 12:00PM HYLAND EOFY SALE HANDICAP (1200 METRES) |
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Suspect the penny has finally dropped for Ghostly. First-up at Scone he hit the line sweetly before he took up the unfamiliar position of leading at Canterbury last start where he trotted in despite lumping 60kg. He has been back to the trials since and went very nicely. Should get a lovely cart into the race from the middle draw and Brenton Avdulla, chasing premiership glory, sticks.
Danger: Memes is deep into her preparation now but thought her last start win was her best yet coming right away across the line. Aquatic’s form ties in well and he hasn’t had much luck in his last couple. Throw him into multiples.
How to play it: Ghostly WIN ($3.70 TAB Fixed Odds)
Ghostly blew his rivals away at Canterbury
| Race 3 - 12:35PM SCHWEPPES HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
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Test The World has the picket fence next to her name with four straight wins this preparation. She is charging through the grades and up in the weights which makes her task that little bit harder each time out but she simply refuses to lose. All four of her wins have been by less than half a length. She is on the quick back-up, looks suited out to 1400m and the Bjorn Baker stable is airborne. The final piece of the puzzle is the map which looks to favour her over noted backmarker and key rival Heavenly Anna.
Danger: Heavenly Anna relished the wet track last start and has now won her last two starts over the Randwick 1400m. She’ll be charging late but will want the likes of Reiby Rampart, who is ready to win again herself, and Yuma Desert to run along.
How to play it: Test The World WIN ($3.20 TAB Fixed Odds)
Test The World’s latest victory
| Race 4 - 1:10PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1200 METRES) |
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Nictock is a key scratching and turns this race on its head. Matt Dunn always has to be respected in the Highway Handicaps having already won nine of them! He gang tackles the race with three this week but the best of them looks to be Leap Of Legend from the inside draw. The five-year-old is in a purple patch of form at the moment.
Danger: Conniving has placed in five of her past six but it's been a long time between drinks as far as wins go. That being said, a repeat of her last start effort when she split Clipper and Nictock goes very close here.
How to play it: Leap Of Legends EACH WAY ($8.50 TAB Fixed Odds)
Conniving's last start second
| Race 5 - 1:45PM RON FINEMORE TRANSPORT HANDICAP (2400 METRES) |
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Richard Of Yorke was collared late in the Stayers Cup over two miles last start. He drops back to 2400m but with Chris Waller calling the shots, he’ll be spot on and fresh enough to be right in the finish again here. His 2400m record is good (7:3-1-0) and he loves the wet (3:1-1-1 on Heavy ground). Another couple of boxes he ticks is that he races handy and should lead this lot up while Brenton Avdulla sticks.
Danger: Collateral has won his last three for the flying Baker stable. Jumps straight out to 2400m having beat Carzoff last Saturday over 1800m. Shapes like he’ll run the trip but prefer to be in the corner of the more seasoned stayer Richard Of Yorke. Danjeu is classy on his day.
How to play it: Richard Of Yorke WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds)
Richard of Yorke slugging it out last start
| Race 6 - 2:25PM RACING TO WIN HANDICAP (1600 METRES) |
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Taking a punt on Zayam. There is no speed at all here which could see this seven-year-old be hard to run down on his favoured wet track. He didn’t fire a shot fresh but he was first-up off a 32-week break and settled 12th in the run. With just 53kg on his back expect Jay Ford to dig him up early to control proceedings from the front. His second-up form reads 4:2-1-0 which includes a second to Farolitos last preparation when carrying 58.5kg.
Danger: Marenostro, Old North and Berry Delicious all have the ability to win races better than this but haven’t endeared themselves to punters recently. Ex-Kiwi Sound Proposition has a recent Group One placing to his name in New Zealand. Has to be respected. The lack of tempo is a worry for Liapari and Sultan Of Swing.
How to play it: Zayam EACH WAY ($26 TAB Fixed Odds)
Zayam’s previous second-up effort behind Farolitos
| Race 7 - 3:05PM CAN ASSIST WINTER DASH (1200 METRES) |
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There is nothing flashy about Kudero which is why the market often overlooks him. He is on the third line of betting for the Winter Dash at $5 with TAB Fixed Odds but probably deserves to be shorter. He was a dominant winner first-up, beating Badajoz and The Monstar, before The Monstar turned that around to wallop the June Stakes field. Kudero ran second there but was hardly disgraced as he cleared out from third. He tackles 1200m this start but doubt that pulls him up.
Danger: Tessera went awful on the maligned Eagle Farm track last start. Put a pen through the run and go off his two prior runs which no doubt has him right in this with just 53kg against the older horses. If there’s a knock, back to 1200m isn’t ideal.
How to play it: Kudero WIN ($5 TAB Fixed Odds)
Kudero’s second in the June Stakes
| Race 8 - 3:45PM PROFESSIONALS TAMWORTH HANDICAP (1400 METRES) |
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Clear The Beach is on trial over 1400m but he ticks plenty of other boxes going into just his seventh career race start. For one, he is such an honest galloper and simply doesn’t know how to run a bad race. He proved himself capable on heavy ground last start when just nabbed on the line and he should be able to cross from the wide draw to control this race from the front. This four-year-old is still on an upward spiral and should be right at his peak now third-up.
Danger: Wild ‘N’ Famous is a question mark on genuine wet ground but his form is undeniably strong for this assignment coming off consecutive seconds to Bonny O’reilly and then Firsthand. In nicely after the claim too.
How to play it: Clear The Beach WIN ($5 TAB Fixed Odds)
Clear The Beach last start at Randwick
| Race 9 - 4:25PM JACKSON PASTORAL COMPANY GUYRA HANDICAP (1000 METRES) |
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Wide Acclaim resumed with a dominant win from the front at Warwick Farm. He looks to have returned in terrific order for Gary Portelli. There is plenty of speed engaged but he is adaptable enough to take a sit. He also loves wet ground. His record of four wins from 25 starts doesn’t do him justice as a look back through the kinds of horses he has bumped into in benchmark races include Southern Legend, Spieth, Ravi, Deploy and Crafty Cop.
Danger: Expect Ice Bucket to run a big race at double figure odds. He didn’t have much luck at Scone last start and his record over 1000m (10:3-3-2) is very strong.
How to play it: Wide Acclaim WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds)
Wide Acclaim dominating form the front at Warwick Farm first-up
